Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $423 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $670 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $917 per month in Rawalpindi vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Rawalpindi is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rawalpindi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 488

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-70.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.30 PKR 3,990

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-56.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PKR 1,503

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-25.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 PKR 455

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 986

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 477

$1.70 COP 6,186

0.59%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 PKR 87.9

$1.10 COP 3,996

-71.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.72 COP 2,625

-70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 238

$1.06 COP 3,837

-19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.25 COP 4,531

-58.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 360

$1.39 COP 5,060

-7.19%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$2.26 COP 8,229

-47.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,726

$4.33 COP 15.8K

42.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 PKR 960

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 PKR 1,246

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-49.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 280

$2.24 COP 8,159

-55.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 177

$1.08 COP 3,911

-40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.53 COP 5,563

-43.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.37 COP 4,987

-64.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.13 COP 4,109

-68.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$1.12 COP 4,067

-56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.4

$0.85 COP 3,080

-71.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.91 COP 3,305

-60.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.92 PKR 4,443

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 278

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 541

$2.33 COP 8,477

-16.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.8

$0.79 COP 2,859

-77.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 PKR 2,777

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-75.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.44 COP 5,223

-41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$1.91 COP 6,952

-81.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 857

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-61.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$0.94 COP 3,410

3.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-1.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-13.49%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 PKR 28.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

22.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.95 PKR 1,102

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-58.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.31 PKR 4,551

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-32.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 PKR 2,788

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-61.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 PKR 2,100

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-60.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 PKR 1,016

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-7.14%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$306 COP 1.1M

-86.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$953 PKR 266.0K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-83.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 PKR 3,250

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-79.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.40 PKR 5,137

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-42.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-11.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.47 PKR 7,947

$107 COP 389.7K

-73.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.3K

$487 COP 1.8M

-73.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-82.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 PKR 91.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-60.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 PKR 48.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-75.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 PKR 323.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-60.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 145.6K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-62.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.4K

$546 COP 2.0M

-68.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

13.43

50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Rawalpindi versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 214% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $95.0 vs $190 – making Rawalpindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rawalpindi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $635 per month in Rawalpindi and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $423 in Rawalpindi and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $423, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rawalpindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.